Contact assembly and method of making same and electrical connector including the contact assembly

Abstract

A contact assembly for an electrical connector includes: a signal contact module including a first insulator and plural pairs of signal contacts insert-molded with the first insulator; a ground contact module including a second insulator and plural ground contacts insert-molded with the second insulator; and a conductive plastic member molded with the plural ground contacts, wherein the first insulator is assembled to the second insulator.

1 . A contact assembly for an electrical connector, comprising:
 a signal contact module including a first insulator and plural pairs of signal contacts insert-molded with the first insulator;   a ground contact module including a second insulator and a plurality of ground contacts insert-molded with the second insulator; and   a conductive plastic member molded with the plurality of ground contacts; wherein   the first insulator is assembled to the second insulator.   
     
     
         2 . The contact assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of ground contacts includes a front contacting portion, a rear tail and an intermediate portion having a horizontal body and a substantially vertical shield therebetween, and the conductive plastic member is molded with the substantially vertical shields. 
     
     
         3 . The contact assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the shield of the intermediate portion of each ground contact has a hole and the conductive plastic member fills up the holes of the ground contacts. 
     
     
         4 . The contact assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the horizontal body and the shield of the intermediate portion forms an acute angle therebetween. 
     
     
         5 . The contact assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the conductive plastic member is located separated from the first insulator of the signal contact module and the second insulator of the ground contact module. 
     
     
         6 . The contact assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first insulator of the signal contact module includes three discrete portions along the length of each pair of signal contacts. 
     
     
         7 . The contact assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second insulators of the ground contact module includes two discrete parts arranged along the length of the ground contacts, and each discrete part extends in a transverse direction. 
     
     
         8 . The contact assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the conductive plastic member is a one-piece component extending in a transverse direction. 
     
     
         9 . A method of making a contact assembly, comprising the steps of:
 molding a first insulator with plural pairs of signal contacts to form a signal contact module;   molding a second insulator with a plurality of ground contacts to form a ground contact module;   assembling the first insulator to the second insulator; and   molding an electrically lossy member to connect the plurality of ground contacts.   
     
     
         10 . An electrical connector comprising:
 an insulative housing; and   a contact assembly received in the insulative housing, the contact assembly including:
 a signal contact module including a first insulator and plural pairs of signal contacts insert-molded with the first insulator; 
 a ground contact module including a second insulator and a plurality of ground contacts insert-molded with the second insulator; and 
 an electrically lossy member molded with the plurality of ground contacts; wherein 
   the first insulator is assembled to the second insulator.